Strength
by aces
Summary: A sort of epilogue to "Book of Knowledge"--taking stock.


Strength

A terrible reason to write a story, I'm sure, but I simply had to use the lyric from the Cranberries song "Shattered" off the _Bury the Hatchet CD for something, and this show and these characters were the obvious choice (despite the fact that rock was __not around in the 1860s--hey, it's the sentiment that counts)._Only one or two lines from the song actually fit (the lines in italics), but I use those one or two lines that work--and hopefully the story works as well.It acts as a sort of epilogue for "The Book of Knowledge" and contains a few spoilers for that episode.I should send it to TPTB as a pointed expression of my desire for a second season, but that's another story.I make no money off this story, and I am only borrowing the characters for an afternoon.They'll be returned, I promise (though I might keep Jules hostage for a while...oh, all right, I'll be a good girl and put him back with the others... sheesh, can't a fanfic writer have any fun around here?...)

Strength

_Shattered by your weakness_

"He sleeping soundly all night, master."

Rebecca paused in the doorway, watching her cousin and his valet quietly conversing in the corner next to Jules's bed.All three had been taking turns staying by Verne's side and watching over him ever since breaking him and Passepartout out of that Corsican League hospital.Jules had been recovering well, with all the enviable speed of the very young.

"Good, very good, Passepartout," Phileas replied softly.He turned from the manservant to look down at the youth on the bed, and his face softened, probably without his realizing.

Rebecca was glad to see the worry lines leave her cousin's brow and only hoped he didn't hold himself accountable for what had befallen the Frenchman.Phileas did have a tendency to do that; heaven only knew what he could do to himself if he thought he was responsible for getting Verne sick (and he could probably find a way to make himself think that, too).He had a knack for letting his guilt seep throughout his entire soul so that he became saturated with pain.Self-hatred.It was one of his weaknesses.

_Shattered by your weakness_

Jules murmured something Rebecca couldn't make out from her position in the doorway of the laboratory, and he shifted restlessly on the bed.Passepartout was instantly at his side, muttering soothingly to his countryman in their native French, while Phileas leant over Verne on the other side of the bed, resting a hand on the young man's shoulder."It's all right, Verne," he said quietly but firmly."You can rest.You're safe now."

The writer relaxed.

Phileas looked up with a slight sigh and at last noticed his cousin.He gave her a smile as he raised himself from Jules's bedside."Rebecca," he said softly, and she came fully into the room to join the others.

"You look done in, Passepartout," Rebecca whispered, looking down at the little valet in concern."You should get some rest."She didn't think he'd slept at all since bringing Jules back to the _Aurora.He had certainly spent most of his time in the lab with the other Frenchman._

"Yes, Miss Rebecca," Passepartout replied politely without looking up at her.He was repositioning the blankets over Jules, who'd kicked them half off the bed with his movements."As soon as I'm making sure Master Jules all right."

"It's all right, Passepartout," Fogg told the other man, laying a hand on Passepartout's arm and arresting the manservant's tidying."We can handle it.Go lie down."He added with a scowl that didn't quite come off as sincere, "That's an order."

Passepartout looked up and held his employer's gaze seriously, then relented, smiling."Yes, master," he said, clicking his heels together and bowing the upper half of his body.He looked down at Jules one more time, then slipped past Rebecca with a disarming grin and murmured apology.She smiled back, watching him leave the room.His loyalty and determination to stay with Jules upon leaving the _Aurora for the hospital--and his current protectiveness of the boy--was utterly endearing to her, even though it had gotten the manservant into trouble.His loyalty to them all often got him in trouble.It could almost in a way be considered a weakness._

_Shattered by your weakness_

Phileas was finishing the job Passepartout had started, rearranging the blanket over Verne's chest to keep his upper body better covered.Rebecca watched her cousin work efficiently and smiled slightly at the care Phileas took to make sure he didn't waken Jules.Her cousin's gentleness and consideration could sometimes be surprising, even to her.

"It's all right, Phileas," she whispered when he was finished and looked up at her inquiringly."I'll stay with him for a while.You go read your newspaper or something."

He scoffed at that--but quietly."Read my newspaper, Rebecca?Don't be ridiculous.I'll be watching over my manservant and making sure he actually gets some sleep."Rebecca grinned as she settled herself into the chair placed next to the writer's bed.She looked up again when she felt Phileas's light touch on her shoulder.

"He'll be all right," he told her.

Her brow wrinkled, and she wondered in passing if her cousin was talking about Jules or Passepartout."Of course he will," she replied."He just needs rest."With that reply, she knew she'd covered all the possibilities.

Her cousin nodded, seemed about to say something more, then shook his head and smiled ruefully.Rebecca laughed at him in confusion."Are you all right, Phileas?"

"Perfectly fine, dear cousin.Just remind me to never again give lifts to explorers you find fascinating."He squeezed her shoulder, grinning cheekily, and beat a retreat before she could hit him.

Rebecca shook her head in exasperated resignation and turned back to look at the figure on the bed.The smile disappeared from her face; her brow smoothed.She calmly watched Jules sleep, with all the appearance of the patience of a saint.

_I'm trying to control myself so please don't stand in my way_

Sometimes she really wondered if she was a bloody fool.

She could be so damned impetuous.Sitting still had never been a strong point with her, but if only she'd really learnt some patience somewhere along the way, rather than just rushing blindly into things as was her wont.Perhaps that had nothing to do with what had most currently happened to her young friend, but his present weakness was only reminding her of hers.Of all of their weaknesses, especially when put together.It wasn't just herself she tended to get into trouble, after all.It was the others too.Phileas did a fine enough job risking his life on his own; he really didn't need her help in that department.Passepartout would follow any of them into death, and gladly.And Jules...perhaps if he'd never met them, he would be safe in his Parisian garret right now, scribbling away in his notebook, rather than lying on this cot looking pale and ill.Or maybe he'd already be forced into working for the League.She just didn't know. 

And she felt so helpless right now--she'd been feeling that way ever since Jules had become ill.She'd made the suggestion to go to Africa herself, for a holiday for all their sakes, and look what happened.She couldn't fight against this sort of thing.If she wasn't careful, she'd drive herself mad, and she couldn't afford that.None of them could afford it--she had to leave the guilt to Phileas; she had to be strong for all of them.

_Shattered by your weakness_

"I'm all right, Rebecca."The voice, barely above a whisper but not at all weak, came from the bed.Rebecca roused herself from her thoughts and met Jules Verne's gaze.He was looking at her in sleepy concern."You don't have to stay with me, you know."

Rebecca gave him her warmest, most reassuring smile and took his hand, setting aside her own worries for the moment with a practiced ease she'd honed through necessity and years in the Service.She was just grateful he was lucid and conscious, knew where he was and to whom he was talking.She would never admit to how frightening she'd found his earlier incoherency and delusions.His non-recognition of them, his inability to communicate with them had been utterly frustrating, particularly since it _was Jules Verne."No, Jules, I want to," she told him, her voice hushed.Her smile widened into a grin before she could stop it."It's good to have you back."_

He smiled as well and settled himself more comfortably against his pillow, his eyes closing.He seemed older somehow, she thought, as she inspected his face.Serious illness could do that to a person.But there seemed to be something more to it than that.He'd said very little about what had happened in the hospital since coming back aboard the _Aurora and being put to bed once again, only mentioning something about the drug the League agent had been giving him was a hallucinogen.She wondered what he'd seen in his fevered dreams.She knew it hadn't been pleasant._

_Shattered by your weakness_

"Thank you," Jules said, his eyes still closed.

"Thank me?" Rebecca questioned, forcing a light tone into her voice and a bright smile back onto her face."For what, Jules?"

He looked up at her consideringly.She restrained herself from brushing his hair away from his eyes."For letting me stay," he said at last."All of you--Fogg, Passepartout.For letting me get to know all of you."A smile broke over his face slowly, like clouds making way for the dawn, and he closed his eyes again, falling asleep, the smile still resting on his lips.

_Shattered by your weakness, I was shattered by your smile_

He'd pulled through it on his own.Despite the drugs he'd been given, despite illness and delirium and threats to his friend, he'd pulled through it all and escaped, even before she and Phileas had come to rescue him and Passepartout.All four of them had always pulled through everything together.

He was as strong, if not stronger, than the rest of them.

Rebecca smiled gently, squeezing Jules's hand before letting it go and sitting back in her seat to relax.She knew they all had many more adventures to go.Together.

_Shattered by your weakness...___


End file.
